


You Asked Me To Stay

by firstdegreefangirl



Category: The Book of Mormon - Parker/Stone/Lopez
Genre: Coming Out, Denial of Feelings, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fear, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Internalized Homophobia, Living Together, M/M, Panic Attacks, They're just friends, Thunderstorms, Until they aren't, it's cool guys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-25
Updated: 2016-05-25
Packaged: 2018-06-10 14:46:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6961246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firstdegreefangirl/pseuds/firstdegreefangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kevin wakes up because of the thunder. He stays up because of Connor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I woke up at 4:30 this morning when thunder quite literally shook my entire home. That's pretty much where this whole thing came from. I wrote the entire thing in like three hours. It's my first work for Book of Mormon, and betaed by my favorite creative writing major! Not very long because I'm outlining a very extensive crossover AU to work on over the summer. Enjoy!
> 
> Usual disclaimer: I'm just a poor college student who owns ideas and a Macbook. Characters go to their respective creators.

Kevin Price wakes up when a massive thunderclap shakes the entire apartment he shares with fellow ex-missionary Connor McKinley. Sure, it rains in New York City, but this sort of torrential downpour is rare. Kevin jumps as another round of thunder reverberates though his bedroom. This time, as he lays back down Kevin hears a whimper though the wall.

Conner’s room.

(Listen, they aren’t _living together_. They’re just living together. After Uganda, they both had plans to live in New York City if they could make rent, so they decided to take some of the pressure off by sharing a place. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s _theirs_. No romantic inclinations. Just two friends who are roommates because they’re friends and not gay and just friends. Not that Kevin wouldn’t be OK with something developing, but he’s not going to push Connor. The man has spent 15 years “turning it off” and has just come to terms with the idea that it’s OK to not be totally heterosexual; Kevin doesn’t want to mess with that.)

There’s another mewl and Kevin realizes just how long his internal monologue has taken. He gets up, sticking his feet into slippers and pulling on a T-shirt as he walks down the hall and knocks lightly at the edge of Connor’s doorframe.

“Con? You OK?” when there’s no response, Kevin gently opens the door. Lights from outside the building illuminate Connor’s frame, which is curled tightly in on itself as his entire body shakes with tension. Kevin hurries to kneel at the edge of the bed, reaching for his _friend_ before thinking better of it. “Can I touch you?”

When Connor nods weakly, Kevin runs a hand lightly up and down his spine, feeling the muscles pulled taut there. He massages Connor’s back and shoulders for a few minutes, feeling the other man relax as Kevin moves to sit on the bed next to him. Just when Kevin thinks they might be getting somewhere with this, lightning flashes outside and the oncoming thunder rattles the windows. Kevin watches as Connor stiffens and trembles again. He does all he can think to do, and continues rubbing Connor’s back and shoulders.

Eventually, the rain lightens and Connor shifts until he’s sitting against the headboard, knees pulled up to his chest. His eyes glisten with tears as he watches Kevin watch him. They share several moments of silence, before both speaking at once.

“Connor, what’s-“

“Don’t. Just don’t."

Kevin’s brow furrows. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t freaking pity me for this.”

“Con, I’m not-"

“Yes, you are. Everyone does. It’s not _normal_ for a 24-year-old to be afraid of storms!” Connor burrows his face into his knees, muffling what he says next. “I’m _not normal_.”

“You’re right.” At this, Connor looks up. Kevin thinks he’s going for horrified crossed with devastated, but he can’t really tell. “You aren’t normal. Most 24-year-olds, heck, most people, haven’t helped create an entire new religion.” Kevin reaches out and rubs a hand along Connor’s kneecap before drawing it up and down his shin. “They haven’t been all but disowned by their families for something they can’t avoid. They can’t tap dance or sing along to Disney with half the finesse you do.” Here, Connor cracks a small smile. “And, no, maybe they aren’t scared of storms, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad that you are.”

Finished with his spiel, Kevin leans forward to rest his head against Connor’s knees. “It’s OK that you’re you.”

Of course, the universe chooses now to drop another thunder bomb on them, causing both men to jump, and Connor to yelp in fear. He wraps his arms tighter around his legs and waits. Waits for what, he isn’t sure; for the storm to pass, for Kevin to leave, but he waits.

What he certainly _wasn’t_ waiting for was Kevin crawling to sit next to him and rest an arm across his shoulders. If he leans into the touch, that can’t be considered his fault, can it? ( _No romantic inclinations. Just friends_ ). He manages to uncurl his body a little bit, relaxing as he leans against Kevin. His _friend_ Kevin.

(Here’s the thing: Connor never really got the hang of “turning it off”. And when he moved in with Kevin _as friends_ , it’s entirely possible that he was hoping to potentially get a little more from the relationship. But he knows Kevin is straight, so it’s fine. It’s _fine_!)

(Another thing: Kevin maybe sort of kind of wants the same thing. But there’s no way he’d tell Connor that.) 

Kevin settles for running his hand up and down Connor’s (remarkably solid) bicep. “Hey, hey, you’re fine. You’re safe.” After several minutes pass thunder-free, Connor stretches out the rest of the way, rolling onto his side and draping a heavy arm across Kevin’s torso. He yawns thickly and nuzzles into Kevin’s chest.

“Stay?” he murmurs. 

“Of course.” Kevin replies, tightening his hold on his “just friend”

The last thing Connor notices before sleep overtakes him is Kevin pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

That, he decides, is a conversation for the morning.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Kevin wakes up, he panics briefly before remembering that he’s in Connor’s room.

When Kevin wakes up, he panics briefly before remembering that he’s in Connor’s room. He’s in Connor’s room, with Connor sprawled out, starfished across his torso.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

Now that Kevin knows what it feels like to sleep with Connor’s weight pressing him into the mattress, he doesn’t know how he’ll ever be able to go back. When Connor starts to stir, Kevin gives into the urge to rub a hand up and down his back. Connor relaxes against him before suddenly stiffening and rolling off to the side.

“Kevin! Uh—gosh! What are- what are you doing here?” Connor looks like he’s ready to bolt from his own room at any given moment.

“Connor, do you remember last night? There was a storm, a bad one. You- reacted, and I came in to see what was going on. You asked me to stay, so I did.”

“Oh. Uh—thanks, I mean.” Kevin doesn’t think he’s ever seen Connor this shy, refusing eye contact and rubbing the back of his neck. “For staying. You, ah, you didn’t have to do that.”

“Con, I know I didn’t have to. Honest, I didn’t- I didn’t mind. You’re, uh—you’re,” dear Heavenly Father, now Kevin’s getting all tongue-tied. “You know what? Never mind.”

“No, Kevin. What’s going on? Open communication is key to a healthy relationship. With friends, I mean.” Connor hurries to correct himself.

“It’s fine, really. Just some—thoughts I’ve been having recently.” Kevin watches Connor’s eyes widen. “No, no, nothing like that! I’m fine, honest.”

“Kevin? What’s going on?”

“Promise you won’t be weird about it?”

“Kev, you literally held me while I cried last night. It’s not gonna get weird.”

“You, ah, you didn’t cry. But, anyway, you know how I haven’t had a girlfriend since we got back?” Connor nods and motions for him to continue. “It’s uh—it’s not for lack of game. The truth is, I don’t _want_ a girlfriend. I’m—Connor, I think I might be gay.”

“Really?” Kevin nods. “Like you’re sure?”

“Con, you promised not to make this weird. And besides, you’re gay too. Why should it matter?”

“Because, I wanna be really sure that you’re really really sure you’re gay before I do what I’m about to do.”

“I’m really really sure, Con. And I’m pretty sure I know what you want to do, and I’m completely OK with it.” Kevin reaches out to take Connor’s hand, shifting closer to him on the bed. Connor leans forward, closing the space between them.

Kevin spends many more mornings waking up with Connor’s weight pressing him into the mattress.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it! I live off of kudos and comments!


End file.
